Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-10-21
CHAPTER 1.-THE LEADER.

CHAPTER 1.-THE LEADER.
Mr.. Cyrus Brudenel has been for many
years, as everybody knows, the recognized
leader in the spiritualiStic world of London
| Other people may have come to the front
for a moment by virtue of peculiar power,
and eXcellency Of gifts. They have played
their parts, received their applause made
their bows, and then retired. But Mr..
| Cyrus Brdenel remains. in every cause.
movement or party there is its Mr.. Brude-
mel whose name is inscrarably mixed uu
with it. He must be rich and married:
he must live in a great house, and his wife
must he always receiving. Further he
must be a sincere believer in the cause.
In short, what Lord SALISBURY, to take a
well-known case, was to the Evangelical
party in the church, so Mr. Cyrus Brudenel
was to the SpiritualstS.
Mr.. Brudencl was the second son of the
late Mr.. Abraham Brudenel, shipowner and
millionaire. His elder brother. created a
baronet in 1872. in gratitude for large
moneys spent in the advance of the Liberal
cause, has been recently, for similar rea-
sons, promoted to the peerage, and now en-
joys the rank and title of Lord Bow and
Bromley. Cyrus, for his part. passed
d -nts 20 speak Of, and took an ordinary
degree after career marked on the one
hand by no turbulence, effervescence. or
hot madness of youth, and on the other
hand, by no apparent superiority of intellect
or academic distinctions. In fact there was
nothing at all to indicate his future great
ness On the demise of Abraham. the firm
was converted into the well known Company.
Il wi out boi
interest bought land with the money they
received, This, thirty years ago, was the
recognized first step with those who wishe Il
at once to make an Investment absolutely
safe and to rise higher on the social ladder.
hat is to take the place of land surprising
that men continue to get rich which is
doubtful, and still aspire to enter society,
which is not doubtful, has not vet been
determined.
| know not by what means the mind of
Cyrus Brudenel was first turned in the di-
rectlon of SpiritualiSm Perhaps by simple
curiosity; perhaps by the natural longing of
mankind to inquire after the unknown and
strive to see the invisible. For thirty years
and more he had experienced convictions Of
the truth, and had been one of those disci
pies whom nothing can shake from their al
legiance. Yet which is a symptom COM
mon to all spiritualStS and peculiar to them
lie was not resttul and settled and con
tented, but remained always eager after
new manifestations, raVenous for further
combinations, and still dissatisfied with the
messages which come in plenty to those
VINO inquire. He has assisted in his time
at numberleSs Seances: ne has been reward
ed by the most stupendous miracles of I'M
doubted and undeniable genuneness: in his
presence the heaviest and most solemn ia.
bles have become frisky and frivolous: the
bulkieSt of mediums have lost their pom
dero9lty and been waited about like feathers.
Yet lie has never been satisfied; for in mir
acleS, as at dinner, appetite comes to those
who eat, and one is never full.
On the other hand, it cannot be denied
that Mr.. Brudenel has been too freuuently
the prey Of lying spirits, and has been often
imposed upOn by brazen imposters pretend
ing to supernatural powers. AT one time.
for instance, when he entrusted the whole
conduct Of his affairs to the advice Of the
spirits, who told him what to do by means
of his then favorite medium--it was Mr.
Emanuel Chck-he was made to buy a
good many shares in venture which some
how all turned out badly. There were suS-
picions that the medium had been squared.
but Mr. BruIpnpl DIpfprrpl n law tba lilo, ma
upon fine shirts III co,,n,o,.?,t I'M.
onono thosa wiz, ,yhor,
to converso i. ,,,, Lo eo,,I LII. ''o''
city record, did we know it, would proba-
His triun,rbs. bis di,o,,,,oi,+,,,. -
real and sincere convictions of the truth
and final success of his cause; the yielding
and tr'nrhrroUS nature Of the ground ON
t.rf. .
f.llar end - d'n,.a,, rc,.n,o,i,n WIN I ~,
ro.,otjoY. or - r,l. storti'nr i.inI ii'[ w.
,.,,,.i f.,,..i '.i'''' anu pe-